The Palazzo di Gottifredo is a historical building in Alatri in the province of Frosinone. It was built in the 13th century and constitutes an excellent example of medieval architecture.
Palazzo Gottifredo Alatri
Useful information
Address: Via Cavour, 5 – 03011 Alatri. Telephone: +39 0775 459009. Opening Hours (Museo Civico): From 09.00 to 13.00 and from 15.00 to 19.00. Closed: Monday, Tuesday afternoon. Entrance fee: 2 Euro.
History and description
The Palazzo Gottifredo was built as a residence of Cardinal Gottifredo Raynaldi, feudal lord and diplomat in the Pope’s service.
The palazzo lis wedged between the Via di San Francesco, the Corso Vittorio Emanuele and the Corso Cavour. It really consists of 3 parts, built in different periods, i.e. the house with a tower, the central part and another tower at the back of the building.
The main entrance to the tower is along the Corso Vittorio Emanuele and is characterized by a, typically Gothic, ogival arch. A second gate leads to the central part of the building.
The older one of the two towers presently houses the Museo Civico.
The building material was found locally and consists of big stone blocks at the bottom and smaller ones higher up.
It was clearly the main defensive fortress of the town, with its dominant position right in the center.
Museo Civico
Since 1932, the Palazzo Gottifredo has been the seat of the Museo Civico of the city. The collection of this museum consists of a large collection of inscriptions from the Roman period, an archaeological section with often even older objects found in excavations in the area, and a section with agricultural and handicraft tools traditionally used in the area.